We slept on ticks filled with straw, and these
were soaked every day--we were almost drowned out. There was an old
piano in the building, and every morning we were awakened by a wag in
the crowd playing "Pull for the shore, sailor." The boys would all
take it up, and in a few minutes every one would be singing at the top
of their voices. This put us in good humour for the day.

We were not the only ones in the building; other companies had come in
from the West, and when our numbers had reached the 1,100 mark we were
formed into what was known as the 28th Northwest Battalion.

Now, it is not my intention to give a detailed account of our training.
We were like every other new battalion, perfectly green in the art of
soldiering, awkward in the use of our hands and feet, but strong in our
determination to make good as a battalion. Especially were we anxious
to please our commanding officer. Just to give you an idea of how
green I was, let me tell you of my first meeting with our O. C.,
Colonel Embury. I was lounging around the guardroom one day when the
Sergeant asked me to take some papers to the Orderly Sergeant upstairs.
Now, my tunic was unfastened, my belt loose, and my cap on the back of
my head, but it never occurred to me to fix myself before going up. I
took the papers and went up three steps at a time. When I reached the
orderly-room I walked in, and said, "Who is the Orderly Sergeant here?"
A voice from the corner of the room said, "Here, lad," and I started in
his direction when another voice spoke up and said, "Look here,
sonny--" I turned around and found myself looking into the genial
fatherly face of Colonel Embury. I was too much surprised and dismayed
to even attempt a salute, and the Colonel, instead of calling me down,
just smiled and said: "Young man, supposing you go out into the hall,
fasten up your tunic, tighten your belt, and put your cap on properly;
then come to the door and knock. When you get an answer, walk in and
salute, and see how much smarter and better it will look." You bet I
felt cheap, and almost any sized hole would have been large enough for
me just then. But I went out and did as I was told, and when I came
back he answered my salute and smilingly said, "Now, that is fine," and
went on with his work. What wouldn't a boy do for an officer who used
him like that?

It was hard for us boys who had been on our own hook for several years
to get used to the discipline of